


Is love worth the pain

by originalhybridlover



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Character Death, F/M, Falling In Love, Family Feels, Grief/Mourning, Loss, Love, Pain, olicity - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:15:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26217742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/originalhybridlover/pseuds/originalhybridlover
Summary: Summary: Oliver tells the story to his son of how he fell in love with his mother and despite the pain, he feels every day at her absence he didn’t regret a single moment spent with Felicity.
Relationships: Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak
Comments: 13
Kudos: 77





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is not a story where everyone lives happy ever after. Ita about love, family, grief, loss an fcb continuing to love someone even when their gone. Think 'A walk to Remember' vibes. This will have character death and it will hurt. If that's not something you can handle consider this as your warning to turn back.

“Dad, do you have a moment?” 

Oliver looked up from where he was going over some financial papers from the restaurant. More often than not he had the habit of bringing his work home for you.

His son Nathaniel Lucas Queen stood in the doorway to his office. “I always got time for you, Nate.” 

Oliver waved his son inside.

Nate took a seat in the chair across from his desk, a pensive look on his face. 

“What’s on your mind, bud?” Oliver asked, using the old childhood name he always’ used to address his son since he could walk. 

“I’ve been seeing this girl and I think it’s serious and different from any of my other relationships.”

“Do you love her?” Oliver asked with a curious expression. 

“That’s the thing. I’m not sure. I’ve only known her for a few weeks. Can you really fall in love with someone in such a short amount of time?” Nate questioned, looking conflicted. 

“When it comes to love, it’s not about time, it’s about connection, chemistry, attraction, trust. For me time is irrelevant when it comes to love,” Oliver answered. “Now, I can’t speak for everyone but that is my experience.”

Nate was quiet for a moment, he reached out picking up a photo frame on his father's desk. He stared down at his mother’s image, staring back at him. Young, beautiful, happy. “When did you know you were in love with my mom?”

Oliver reached out his hand for the photo, he looked on at the photograph with adoration and affection and something much more painful. “The answer to that question changes rapidly. There are days when I look back on my days with your mother where I believe I fell in love with her the moment I laid eyes on her, then there are days I believe it happened gradually, so gradually that I'm not sure when the exact moment I fell in love with her was.”

“That’s not really an answer.” Nate said with a frown. 

“No, it isn’t.” Oliver smiled. “I loved your mother from the moment I looked into her blues eyes and heard her voice in an awkward ramble but I fell in love with your mother for the amazing woman she was. She opened up my world beyond anything I imagined. People talk about their loved ones being everything to them or their whole world. Your mother? She was more than that to me. She was my purpose, my reason for being. She was the best of my heart. She was my entire universe.” 

Nathan looked at his father intently, hanging onto his father’s every word. “Tell me about her.”

Oliver licked his lips, he didn’t talk about Felicity much. It was too painful but how could he tell his son no when he only wanted to know more about his mother, when he was looking for guidance. 

“I met your mother at a coffee shop of all places.” Oliver started, his voice soft, eyes pained but filled with longing and so much love that it made Nathan’s heart clench. 

Was love really worth the suffering it caused his father? 

Could any love be worth that kind of agony?

Was it worth the kind of pain he could see in his father?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver meets a pretty blonde and is immediately enamored.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I took a small break from writing. I've been caught up watching a new show. Sen Cal Kapimi. It's amazing and I'm hooked on the leads but enough about my new viewing obsession. I hope you like the chapter.

Oliver walked into the local coffee shop, his eyes taking in the occupants. There was an old couple in the back, a table of geeks near the counter more than one couple by the windows. His eyes caught sight of two leggy brunette’s sitting on a couch in the center. 

Bingo. He walked forward just as the two girls looked over at him, their lips pulling into wide smiles at the sight of him. 

He sent them his Oliver 'Ollie' Queen playboy smile, every intention of joining them with the intention of talking them into going home with him. 

He had made it a habit of finding local coffee shops not far from campus to meet college girls and offer them a fun time. It was a great spot to pick up girls who wanted to have some fun. 

He was almost at their side, when suddenly his skin felt hot, scolding hot. The laptop he carried clattered to the floor as he let out a surprise shout of pain. 

“Oh, my god, I’m sorry.” The feminine voice that belongs to the person who bumped into him and spilled hot coffee all over him, exclaimed. 

Annoyance flared in his chest as he looked down at his soaked shirt. “Maybe you should-”

He stopped, the words dying on his lips. 

God, she was so fucking pretty. 

Cream-colored skin, luminous blue eyes, long blonde hair with pink streaks, red-painted lips.

“I’m sorry,” the girl was saying as she reached over a table, grabbing a handful of napkins, wiping at his soaked shirt, her hands moved all over his chest and torso. “Please, tell me I didn’t hurt you. Wow. You have really hard abs.” 

Oliver laughed in surprise. “Thank you and no you didn’t hurt me,” he looked down at his fallen laptop. “Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for my computer.” 

“What?” Felicity looked down and her eyes widen in horror. “Oh, you poor, baby!” 

Oliver watched as she knelt down, getting a brief view down her green tank top. When she stood back up, the girl held his laptop to her chest, apologetically. He couldn't help but look her over. 

She wasn’t his usual type. She wasn’t a brunette, she didn’t have an ample chest or long legs. Still, she was the prettiest girl he laid eyes on, she was short but curvy and the black jeans she wore did amazing things for her legs. 

“I never meant to hurt you,” the girl said in the sincerest tone he ever heard. 

“You didn’t.” Oliver was quick to reassure her. 

“I wasn’t talking to you.” Felicity’s eyes widened, realizing how rude that came out. “Not that I wouldn’t talk to you because, I mean, you're hot and you have what felt like really amazing abs underneath your shirt,” her cheeks reddened. “Oh, my god, someone please shut me up before I embarrass myself further.” 

“I rather like the sound of your voice,” Oliver grinned. “And hearing about your admiration for my body.” 

“I really am sorry.” Felicity apologized, choosing to ignore her awkward babble. She opened his laptop to find the screen wasn't cracked, still, it was sticky with coffee and sugar. “Oh, I am so sorry.”

Oliver had a feeling she was apologizing for more to his broken laptop than him but he was never one to miss a good opportunity. “We can forget all about it if you make it up to me.”

Felicity’s eyes shot to his, suspicion clear as day shining in them. “Make it up to you how?” 

“Go out with me?” Oliver said, 

“I don’t go out with guys I don’t know,” Felicity told him. ‘

“Then get to know me,” Oliver countered. 

“And why would I want to do that?” Felicity arched an eyebrow at him. 

“Because I could be a really great guy.” 

“Are you?” Felicity asked. 

“How about you tell me after getting to know me,” Oliver suggested. 

Felicity gave a small laugh. “You don’t give up, do you?” 

“Not when I want something.” Oliver flashed her an easy grin but he could see that she was still hesitant. “Okay, how about I replace the cup of coffee you just spilled and we talk.”

Felicity nodded, slowly. “Okay, on one condition though, you let me fix your laptop? It’s killing me that I injured your poor baby.” 

“The poor baby being my laptop?” Oliver asked amused. 

“Obviously,” she ran her hand reverently over the laptop. 

Oliver’s grinned widen. She was so cute. 

* * *

Oliver sat across from the blonde, watching as she worked on his computer though he wasn't sure how she was going to fix the fact that she spilled hot liquids on his laptop. He was lucky the screen didn't crack when he dropped it. 

She was so focused and the way she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth had all his attention. 

He wanted to kiss her, to feel her lips moving with his. 

His eyes moved over her, taking advantage of her distraction. The way her green tank top fit her torso, it drew his eyes, and the way her jeans fit her was so fucking distracting but those damn luminous eyes of hers were going to steal his soul. 

Beautiful. Everything about her that he could see was beautiful. 

“Are you going to tell me your name?” Oliver asked after a moment. 

The girl looked up at him. “I didn’t give it to you already?” 

“No,” Oliver shook his head. “You seemed to be more concerned with my laptop.” 

“Oh, well, it’s Felicity.” she reached for her coffee cup but then remembered it was empty. “Felicity Smoak.” 

“Oliver Queen.” He returned. 

“I know who you are, well, I know of you,” Felicity said. “Kind of hard not to, I started working at QC just a few months ago and the media has an obsession with you and your family.”

Oliver winced, feeling a sudden wave of embarrassment about how the media portrayed him. “I’m not really like how I appear on tv coverage or magazines?”

“No?” Felicity arched a brow at him. “You didn’t pee on a cop car or punch out a reporter or have awful serial killer hair at one point?”

“Okay, yes, I did do those things- hey, did you just imply, I looked bad?” Oliver asked, tilting his head at her. 

“Caught that did you?” Felicity smirked. “Just so we’re clear the Serial killer look was not a good look for you.” 

“And what about how I look now?” Oliver asked. 

“You're pleasing to the eyes but you don’t need me to tell you that,” Felicity replied. “You know how attractive you are.” 

Oliver nodded his head in agreement. “But it never hurts coming from someone as beautiful as you.” 

“Smooth,” Felicity replied, returning her focus back to his laptop and the task at hand. 

“What do you do at QC?” Oliver asked, wanting to keep her talking, not caring if he was distracting her from fixing his laptop. 

“I work in the IT department,” Felicity answered. 

“Oh, so you do this kind of thing for a living?” Oliver motioned to his laptop.

“You could say that.” Felicity nodded. “I like it,” 

“You must be really smart then, right?” Oliver wondered. 

That was an understatement. Felicity sent him a smile in response. 

Oliver wanted to learn more about her. So much more. That one smile had him wanting to know everything there was to know. “Let me take you out to dinner?”

Felicity closed his laptop and slid it back over to him. “I’ll admit your charming and hot but I’m not your type and I’m not looking to have my heart broken by some guy whose been with more women than he can even remember. No offense.” 

Oliver was so surprised by her words he couldn’t formulate a response before she was walking away from him. By the time he recovers and ran out of the cafe door to catch up with her, she was already gone from sight. 

He frowned and went back for his laptop, he settled back in his seat and opened the laptop to find to his surprise, his laptop was still working even though the hot liquid should have fried its system. 

“Hi,”

Oliver looked up to see the two women before staring at him with flirty expressions. 

“Can we join you?”

Oliver frowned. Before he would have said yes in a heartbeat but now, he wasn’t sure he even wanted to talk to them. 

The two girls took his silence for a yes, taking a seat on either side of him. He forced a smile, reluctantly accepting their advances, his mind however was still stuck on the charming blonde he just met. 

Felicity Smoak.

* * *

Oliver tried to return to his usual pick up spots and go about his life like he always had, partying, making a scandal of himself for the cameras, and bedding any hot girl he wanted because why the hell not. 

He was young, he was ridiculously good looking, he was rich. The world was his Oyster. 

However, that didn’t stop him from subconsciously looking for Felicity in every blonde he saw. Comparing leggy model types to her small, curvy figure. Or looking for luminous blue eyes that can look inside him. Or lips that demanded his attention. Looking for someone who was the perfect blend of awkward, cute, and alluring when she talked. 

He slept with women but it wasn’t as satisfying as it once was. 

Was it possible to be so entranced by someone that they could change your outlook in just one meeting? 

Was it possible for one person to turn your life on its head without even trying? 

How could one stranger have such an impact on another person’s life? 

After another night of not being able to stop thinking about Felicity, Oliver excused himself and called it a night. 

He returned home. He paused at the foot of the stairs when he heard the tv in the viewing room going. He changed directions and found his little sister on the couch, eating popcorn, and watching some sitcom. 

“Hey, Speedy,” Oliver greeted, walking forward. “What are you still doing up?” 

“Couldn’t sleep.” Thea shrugged. “You're home early.” 

“It’s after midnight, that's not that late,” Oliver correctly. 

“I meant early for you.” Thea rolled her eyes. “Raisa says you usually don’t turn in till morning when your out with Tommy.” 

Raisa wasn’t wrong but he just was not in the mood to pick up random girls or spend the entire night getting drunk. “I felt like calling it a night.” 

“Do you want to watch tv with me?” Thea asked, patting the seat next to her. 

Oliver moved and took a seat next to her, reaching in the bowl on her lap for a handful of popcorn. “What are we watching?”

“How I Met Your Mother but I’m starting to think it should be called How I Met Your Aunt Robin,” Thea said, her tone indicating her annoyance. 

“Tell me about it,” Oliver said, leaning back against the cushions, propping his feet on the table. 

“Okay, so the character Ted is supposed to be telling the story about how he met the mother of his children but instead…” 

Oliver allowed the sound of his sister’s voice, and the television playing in front of him to distract him from his thoughts of a blonde with pink high lights, gorgeous blue eyes, a mouth that had no filter, and a tight little body that he couldn’t stop thinking about. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter is a little short but hey its an update. That's got to count for something.

Oliver sat at a table near the window. A styrofoam cup in between his hands as he looked out at the passersby’s on the street. Eyes always searching, for a pretty blonde with pink highlights and blue eyes. 

He had taken to coming to this coffee shop during the day, waiting, hoping to see Felicity again. 

He knew he could always go to the company and look for her but he didn’t want to come off stalkerish, admittedly waiting at the coffee shot he met her at wasn’t much different. Still, he didn’t want to just barge in on her at work. 

Every time the bell rang from the door opening he looked up only to be disappointed when it wasn’t Felicity. 

Oliver was starting to think, she didn’t frequent this cafe and maybe he was going to have to find his way to the IT floor of his family company after all. 

He didn’t really like that idea. He was fully aware of how fast gossip could spread and he wasn’t looking to ruin Felicity's reputation at work because Oliver Queen came to see her specifically. 

“Hi,” Oliver looked up and saw a redhead smiling down at him. “I saw you here by yourself and I thought my friend and I might join you,” 

Oliver's eyes drifted past her to where a girl with brown hair approached, her hips swinging in a way that was meant to entice men. “I’m waiting for someone,” 

“We could wait with you,” the brunette suggested, leaning forward on the table and trailing her fingers across his hand. 

“I rather you didn’t,” Oliver replied. 

“What?” Each girl looked at him with varying reactions of shock. 

“I don’t want your company so if you could just leave me alone that would be great.” Oliver sent them a tight smile. 

They scoffed and walked away. 

He sighed, shaking his head, he looked down at his phone, checking the time. 

If Felicity took her break at noon like most QC employees, he only had half an hour left before the break hour ended. 

Maybe, he should just go to the office and ask around about her. 

The bell above the cafe jingled and he looked up out of habit and he straightened immediately. 

Felicity walked in and his breath left him. He didn’t know how it was possible but she was prettier than he remembered. 

It wasn’t the way she dressed. She wore a pair of black jeans and a red v neck top with a denim jacket. Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail and she wore glasses.

He hadn’t even known that she wore glasses. 

Felicity’s beauty wasn’t in her clothes or her looks. It was her. The confidence that she carried herself with, the way her eyes shined, her bright smile that could brighten anyone’s day. 

It was Felicity herself who was beautiful in a way he didn’t know was possible. 

He watched her go up to the counter and stood getting in line behind her.

He tapped her lightly on the shoulder, hoping not to startle her. 

She turned around, her eyes widening. “Oliver, what a surprise to see you here.”

“Not really, I was waiting for you,” Oliver confessed, he dipped his head feeling slightly embarrassed. 

“How did you know I would be here?” Felicity questioned. 

“I didn’t, I was just hoping you would,” Oliver said, he rubbed the back of his neck feeling nervous. 

“Why?” Felicity asked. 

“I want to get to know you,” Oliver said. 

“Don’t you remember when I told you I wouldn’t go out with you?” Felicity replied. 

“I do. Vividly.” Oliver grimaced. “I was hoping you would give me the chance to change your mind.”

“Why does it matter. I’m sure a hundred girls are lining up to go out with you but I’m not one of them.” Felicity started to turn back around. 

Oliver placed his hand on her arm and felt sparks shoot up his hand. “I don’t want to get to know them. I want to get to know you. Just give me today and if you still don’t want to give me a chance then I will never bother you again.” 

“I can’t,” Felicity said. 

Oliver felt disappointment swamp him, his hand falling away. 

“I’m working late tonight.” Felicity continued. “But I’m off on Friday.”

“Really?” Hope surged inside of Oliver. 

“Is that not the answer you were looking for?” Felicity wondered. 

“No, it is.” Oliver recovered quickly. “I thought you would give me a harder time.” 

“Is this a game for you?” Felicity asked, eyes narrowing. 

“What?” asked Oliver confused. “What do you mean by that?”

“I mean are you seeking me out because you like the chase or do you just want to have dinner with me with no expectations other than getting to know me?” Felicity clarified.

“I’m not going to lie there is something thrilling in the chase but no that’s not what this is about. I can’t remember wanting to know someone as much as I want to know you. My only expectation is getting to spend more time with you.” Oliver answered. “If you really want me to stop bothering you and back off I will but I think it would be great if we could just get to know each other a little better.” 

A smile pulled at Felicity’s lips. “Give me your phone,”

In his haste to retrieve his phone before Felicity changed her mind Oliver nearly dropped his phone. 

Felicity giggled and accepted his phone, putting in her contact. “Text me later and we’ll make a more concrete plan to get together on Friday. You know, time and place that kind of thing.” She held his phone back out to him. 

“I will.” Oliver's fingers brushed against hers as he took his phone back. 

“Are you two going to flirt all day or are you going to actually order?” A haughty voice demanded from behind them. “There are people in line waiting in line to make their orders.” 

Felicity's eyes flashed angrily at their rudeness but before she could say anything, Oliver turned shooting the woman a glare. 

“There’s no need to be rude about it. There are better ways to ask someone to move along so you can go about your day.” Oliver reprimanded. 

The woman’s eyes widened. “You’re Oliver Queen. I’m sorry, I didn't-”

Oliver turned back to Felicity. “I can order for you if you want so you don’t have to deal with this?”

“Thank you,” Felicity appreciated the offer. “But I can handle the occasional rude person.”

“Okay,” Oliver nodded. “I’m going to go then. I’ll text you later.” 

“Sounds good.” Felicity nodded and waved goodbye. 

Oliver nodded and forced himself to turn and leave, shooting the rude woman a glare as he brushed past her. 

He opened the door to the cafe and paused to look back at Felicity. 

She was staring back at him, watching him leave. He grinned and stepped out the door.

Feeling good. He headed to his car. Oliver would have loved to stay longer in Felicity’s presence, give her a lift back to work or hell walk her back to her own car if she had one but he didn’t want to push his luck or overcrowd her. 

He got into his car and retrieved his phone and pulled up Felicity’s contact and quickly favorited it. Once that was done, he put his phone away and put his car into gear.

He had a date to plan. 

It had to be good. No, it had to be a great date. 

He had no doubts that he was going to want another one and another one and another one so everything had to go right this Friday. 

He had to make it as perfect as he possibly could so there would be no reason Felicity wouldn’t want to see him again. 

And he  _ needed _ her to want to see him again.

He couldn’t explain it but he knew deep down in his bones Felicity was supposed to be a part of his life. 

Friday night had to be perfect. There was no other option.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> I'm going to continue working on this story. I just don't know if I will continue posting it.


End file.
